Re: mosasaur babies/no marine dinos

[KiernanCR@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/2/02 4:56:14 AM, david.marjanovic@gmx.at writes:

<< Didn't they look like ichthyosaurs, complete with tail fin?>>

The downturned caudal vertebrae are present (as in ichthyosaurs and many 
derived mosasauroids), suggesting a caudal fin. Hua and Buffetaut (1997) 
write: "Although only a single impression of a cutaneous dorsal lobe is known 
(in a Tithonian specimen of _Geosaurus_), there is no doubt that a tail fluke 
was present in all advanced metriorhynchids. The tail was apparently 
carchariniform in shape, which made a wide range of speeds possible."


<<BTW, the LK (or earlier?) to Eocene marine crocs are the dyrosaurids, not

the dryosaurids :-) >>

Whoops. Typo. Though, I have to admit, a marine dryosaurid would be pretty 
cool. :)

Caitlin R. Kiernan